Category: christianity

I am not ashamed to say that I have a prodigal son. Being in full time ministry, others may think we should have this perfect lifestyle and everything must be in order.

Not so. We are humans and far from perfect, and I am no exception.

As parents we have made many mistakes, and some really bad mistakes, all the while going to church and professing Christ as our Lord and Savior.

One of the most difficult things we found is being a first generation Christian.

We did not have parents that taught us their mistakes and failures. We did not grow up in a home where we prayed, read the bible or had devotions. We did not have parents that we could go to or ask for prayer when facing a difficult situation or receive godly advice.

My husband and I had to learn all of these things on our own, and we failed along the way.

Is this an excuse? No. But I use this example to tell our son that since we have made so many mistakes, he can learn from us so that he does not have to repeat them.

As a result, our only son is not serving the Lord and into the world.

So what do we do? We pray. Here I would like to share with you some of the things we do and pray for our prodigal.

Ask for forgiveness. As parents, we asked our son for forgiveness for anything that may be left unresolved. We let him know that as we have been healed, we desire the same for him. A few years back as a couple, we went through a healing process, and learned that the things we do are learned behaviors. The problem with that is that they are not all healthy. We learned to discard what was bad, and made new, healthy behaviors. We shared our healing experience with our son and how we are enjoying life and our marriage better than ever before.

Point your child in the right direction. it does not matter the age. Our son at this moment is working and living a lifestyle that can generate repercussions to his health. We share with him the benefits of healthy living and having a career. We share how God has a plan for him, a plan that includes Gods’ love and prosperity. He has yet to listen to us.

Keep the communication lines open. Our son lives in a different province and we don’t see him as often as we would like. When we are going to prayer, we ask him if he has any prayer requests. This lets him know that we love him and care for him.

Tell your child that you love him/her. Let them know that whatever happens, you are there for them to help and guide. We can count on Jesus, so we should let our prodigal know that they can count on us, and certainly on Him.

Declare scripture over your prodigal. One of my favorite things to do is make prayers for my son. For example, May the love of God be poured into (prodigals s name) heart by the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5. I thank you Lord that (prodigals name) will come back to his own border. Jeremiah 31:17. The Holy Spirit will lead him/her into all Truth, I speak forth the spirit of Wisdom over (prodigal´s name) and lead him/her to the deep things of God. There are many more scriptures and prayers that I declare over my son, but these are just a few to give you an idea.

Ask the Lord to show you what is going on when you pray. When I pray, I ask the Lord to show me and I ask for a vision, and God never fails. You may not see anything when you ask the first time, but continue to ask and He will show you. What you see in vision, add that to your prayers. For example, I have seen my prodigal behind a pulpit. I pray and thank the Lord that my son is serving him, preaching the Lords’ good work from the pulpit, and someday he will share his testimony to help others.

Ask the Lord to tell you about your prodigal. Include that in your prayers as well. Ask, “Lord, how do you see (insert name)?” The Lord answers: “Your prayers have reached the heavens, and I am doing a work behind the scenes. Continue to pray, even though you may not see any fruit or change. I am working.” Praise him for that and receive it by faith.

Thank the Lord that your prodigal has in an interest in the opposite sex. In today’s world where everything goes and trans is in, we want our prodigals to be true to the word. I pray for my sons spouse, and I thank the Lord for her and bless her even now.

Have faith in God. Mar 11:23-24 says: For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Believe that every time you pray for your prodigal, you will have him/her back. He/she will serve the Lord, they will be repentant, the relationship will be restored with you and most importantly with God. That mountain called the world, pain, resentment, hurt, ( insert in your own words here,) will have to move and get out of the way in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth who came in the flesh.

Finally, It ain’t over until the fat angel sings. Be persistent, do not give up. You now have vision, you now have a promise, and you have the declared word over you prodigal. It’s the word of God that will not return void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11.

Your prodigal will prosper; your prayers are not bouncing off the ceiling. Your prayers are reaching the heavens and being answered.

I decided to not be embarrassed about my prodigal, why? Because when he comes back to us and to the Lord in full force and with passion, zeal and might, I can give God all the glory, and shout it from the rooftops.

Acts chapter 9 relates the story about Saul, (later known as Paul) well known and feared for persecuting the Christians. As he is on his way to do more harm, he is blinded, and falls to the ground on the road to Damascus.

Saul ask who are you, “Lord?” Jesus confirms his suspicions. He replies, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”

While on the ground, trembling and blind, we see how quickly Saul changes sides. He goes from persecuting those of the Way, to asking Jesus, “What do you want me to do?”

The Lord replies with ¨ Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what to do.”

This was the first step of obedience that Paul did. He arose and went to the city. His change was so radical, that he became a follower of Christ. Thanks to the Apostle Paul, we have most of the New Testament written by him.

I saw several things here.

First the Lord can do anything to draw a person to himself. This gives me hope, because I know the Lord can turn around the most messed up person to serve him in a most amazing way.

Second, The Lord gave one directive to Paul. Arise and go to the city.

Third, just obey.

The Lord did not lay out his whole life plan at one time. He gave it to him, one step at a time.

If the Lord had told him his whole life story, about his imprisonment, stone beatings, being shipwrecked, missionary trips, do you think Paul would have backed out? I think I would have.

I have a secret for you. We are not supposed to have the full picture.

When we begin our walk with the Lord, He gives us only so much, one step at a time. For that I am grateful.

God´s ways and plans are always bigger than ours. As we continue our walk in obedience, the Lord is faithful to equip us to fulfill the calling upon our life.

For us to fulfill our calling there are two things we need to do. We need to ask the Lord what He would like us to do, and we need to arise and go into the city. It is then He will gives us the next phase of the plan.

A few years ago we attended a small all Spanish speaking church with a very gifted pastor. Just like any human being, we all have our flaws. There are some flaws that we can overlook, but something this pastor would often say just never sat right with me or my husband.

He would brag about receiving phone calls, and how the Lord trained him in his prophetic gifting and word of knowledge this way.

He said God would tell him who was calling, and God was always correct. He got so good at it, that when the phone rang, if it was someone he did not want to speak to he would not answer. (This was before caller ID was around.)

He would brag about this to the congregation, and there would always be oohs and aahs, but at the same time his message was- I know what is going on.

When one receives a prophetic word or word of knowledge, it should always point to Jesus, and it is to bring edification and exhortation to the church.

These “words of knowledge” this pastor was receiving every time the phone rang did neither. Its only purpose was to boost his pride and ego.

So was it God speaking to him? The obvious answer is no. In case you did not know, there is such a thing as a false prophet spirit.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world

A way to test any word from God is to ask the following questions. Does it point to Jesus? Does it bring edification? What is the purpose of the Lord telling me this information?

It was sad to see how this pastor could not grasp that it was the enemy speaking to him, and not God.

We need to keep ourselves safe from falling into deception and having our pride grow. Our goal should be for edification of the Body of Christ, as the word says 1 Corinthians 14:12

What a true prophet will do

A prophet will never expose your sin. If the Lord reveals your sin to the prophet, it is to steer you on the right path and to draw you to repentance unto the Lord, but the sin should never be mentioned.

The prophet will be spending time in prayer and have an intimacy with the Lord, that will include love for His people.

A true prophet will give you direction and guidance, and that will always include God’s plan for you and His love for you.

The gift is to build and exhort the church, hint: you and me.

A prophet will not call out your faults, embarrass you or cause you shame or bring condemnation. Jesus loves us too much to hurt us.

The prophetic word will bring hope.

When prophetic words or words of knowledge are received, it should always bring Glory to the One that gave us the revelation.

Knowing these guidelines will keep you safe from those claiming to be God’s spokesman/woman.

Have you ever received an incorrect word from a prophet? If so, how did you handle it, what did you do about it?

1 Corinthians 14:34 Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says.

For some time I have heard this passage preached and written regarding women in ministry. I have read and heard both sides of the argument. There are a few things that I have learned that I would like to share with you here.

You will always find an argument for women serving in the ministry.Tweet This

There, I said it.

The Lord has anointed many women to do Kingdom work. Some are teachers, prophets, pastors, evangelists and yes, even apostles. So in seeing these women rise up and fulfill the calling the Lord has placed upon them, how does the scripture quoted above fit in?

First we need to understand what the scripture says exactly, and the time it was written in and in the context in was written.

The passage above was written in the first century. Women sat on one side of the church, and the men on the other side of the church. Women did not receive an education, as a result, they would have questions during the sermons. Paul was literally asking them to respect the service, and to ask the questions to their husbands when they got home.

The word ¨speak¨ here in the original Greek refers to chatting, questioning and arguing, and the word “silence” refers to having a calm undisruptive spirit, and be open to learning.

Other Bible translations read that women should keep quiet during the meetings.

Paul was emphasizing order in the church, not that women should never speak or be active in the church.

Understanding the position of women in the early Church is important because it establishes the foundation for the ministry of women in the Church today.

Women were very instrumental in the church. Let´s look at a few examples:

Intercessors
Women in the early church were intercessors in prayer. In the city of Philippi, a group of women met by the river to pray

Act 16:13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.

Women were recipients of the Holy Spirit
The book of Acts records that the Holy Spirit came upon all, men and women:

Acts 2:17 ‘AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE LAST DAYS, SAYS GOD, THAT I WILL POUR OUT OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL FLESH; YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS.

Acts 2:18 AND ON MY MENSERVANTS AND ON MY MAIDSERVANTS I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS; AND THEY SHALL PROPHESY.

Women were prophetess:
Acts 21:9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

We have an account of a woman Apostle:
Rom 16:7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

Junia, a woman, is noted as an apostle, a fellow prisoner.

I have heard testimony from notable men of God; where they once frowned upon women in ministry, the Lord changed their mind.

If you remove women from ministry, you are actually removing the gifts, calling and anointing’s the Lord has placed upon them to spread the gospel.

I leave you with this last verse:
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

I think it´s best to be one, to work as one, and to spread the good news of Christ. Don´t you agree?

I knew something was off, but I could not put my finger to it. I was not writing. Our family crisis several years ago affected me in a way that surprised me. I had let my writing die, and here I was, years later trying to get it back. I would pray and journal, and the Lord would confirm again and again that yes, I am called to write.

But the passion had died. The desire had died. My voice was silent. I had notebooks, boxes of pens, writing books and nothing was moving inside of me.

I continued to pray. I fasted. I decreed. I claimed His promise over my life. How can a passion so strong, just die? The answer finally came. My passion, my pen, my voice was stolen.

John 10:10 says ¨The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.¨

At a vulnerable moment, the thief had stolen everything. It was time to get back that which was stolen. I continued to pray and demand it back, but still nothing was happening!

Help arrives

A friend recommended reading a book by Robert Henderson titled ¨Operating in the Courts of Heaven.¨ Almost immediately after I heard about the book, the author was featured on the Sid Roth show. After viewing the show, it did not take long for me to go to his website and purchased the book in PDF format. In reading it, everything made perfect sense to me why my prayer was not being answered.

I had to take this particular petition to the courtroom of God to receive an answer.Tweet This

The book is backed up by scripture and gives information on how to enter the Courtroom of God and present your case before the throne. There are numerous examples, testimony, and success stories. After a time prayer and journaling, I did it.

I went before the Courtroom of God, demanded restitution and my writing was returned to me. I felt it during the prayer and received it by faith.

It happened

The desire and ideas started to come back, and now it was up to me to do someth

My next step is to begin anew with my writing, and this post is the first of many to come. It was also time to invest in myself. I enrolled in a course titledTribe Writersand I am growing.

What has the enemy stolen from you that you need to get back? Is it your child, your ministry, a business failure?

Perhaps it is something you need to take to court, before entering the battlefield.